Picnic to Spotlight ODU’s Minor in Public Service

October 10, 2013

The Department of Urban Studies and Public Administration (USPA) of Old Dominion University's College of Business and Public Administration is hosting a Public Service Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The event is a picnic, featuring music, that is designed for ODU students to learn more about the multidisciplinary minor in public service offered through USPA.

The festival will run from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Kaufman Mall, with a rain location inside Webb Center. Those who attend can register for a prize drawing of an iPad.

ODU introduced its minor in public service in August 2010; it prepares students for citizenship, leadership and careers in governmental and nonprofit agencies, and encourages the spirit of volunteerism. It is a 12-credit minor with six credit hours each of core classes and approved electives. Students from any college may earn the public service minor.

The public service curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in public administration and nonprofit management, including an appreciation of both internal processes and the external environment of public and nonprofit organizations. The minor has a goal of preparing students for careers in public service and for graduate education in public administration, public affairs and related fields.

Every year, the USPA hosts Public Service Week on the ODU campus, with a variety of events that spotlight the opportunities and challenges of a public service career. The next Public Service Week events are planned for February 2014.

For more information about the Public Service Festival and the minor in public service, contact Meg Jones, program coordinator of the Department of Urban Studies and Public Administration, at 683-3961 or publicservice@odu.edu.